Grave-vault



(No Model.)

J.G.GRAY. GRAVE VAULT.

No. 478,102. Patented July 5. 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT Tricia.

JOHN G. GRAY, OF CONNERSVILLE, INDIANA.

G RAVE-VAU LT.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 478,102, dated July 5,1892.

Application filed April 30 1891.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN G. GRAY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Oonnersville, in the county of Fayette and State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grave-Vaults; andIdo declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to completely and totally protect thecoffins and caskets containing the dead in graves from Water withouthaving the vaults hermetically sealed, first, by utilizing thephilosophical principle that water will not rise in a tube, vessel, orvault closed at the top and open at the bottom higher than a fractionalpart of its altitude, according to the height of the water from the openbottom standing on the outside and around the tube, vessel, or vault,owing to the presence and resistive force of the air in the same; and byexperiment it is shown that in a perpendicular tube, vessel, or vaultclosed at the top and open at the bottom with water standing six (6)feet above the open bottom and on the outside and around the same theair on the inside of the tube, vessel, or vault will be compressed aboutone fifth (3,) of its volume and about one-fifth of the height of thetube, vessel, or vault on the insideyand if said tube, vessel, or vaultis thirty (30) inches from bottom to top on the inside and under theabove pressure of water the water will rise on the inside of the sameabout onefifth of its height, or about six (6) inches; second, byemploying narrow and limited surfaces to preclude water rising in thevault by capillary attraction; third, in securing a permanent-1y leveland correct position of the coffin or casket cover with the platformholding the coffin or casket; fourth, by extending the exterior surfaceof the coffin or casket cover in such a manner as to receive the fullweight of the earth placed upon it; fifth, by combining the Weight ofthe supports and the weight resting upon them with the Weight of thecoffin or casket cover. I attain these ob- Serial No. 391,168. (Nomodel.)

jects by the devices illustrated in the accompanying-drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a perspective view ofone of the supports upon which theplatform holding the coffin or casket rests and also upon which thecoffin or casket cover rests. Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of theplatform upon which the coffin or casket rests, itself resting upon thesupports. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the coffin or casket coverwhich fits over the platform, incloses the coffin or casket, and restsupon the end projections of the supports. Fig. 4 shows in perspective ametal clamp which is used to secure the supports to the coffin or casketcover. Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the coffin or casket cover,a portion of it cut away and the several devices all placed in theirproper positions to secure protection from water.

Similar letters referto similar parts throughout the several views.

The support A (shown in Fig. 1) is so constructed that while the bottomrests on the ground with a broad surface the top presents a diminishedand limited surface, upon which the platform 0 rests, as shown in Fig.2. The lower part of the support projects out at the ends to a distanceequal to the thickness of the walls of thecoffin or casket cover D andas much farther as desired, and on these projections B the coffin orcasket cover D rests. The height of the supportA from the projections Bis governed by the altitude of the cotfin or casket cover D on theinside, and the length of the support A is determined by the exteriorwidth of the cofiin or casket cover D.

The platform 0 (shown in Fig. 2) is a plain slab and its length andbreadth are determined by the length and breadth of the coflin or casketcover D on the inside. It rests upon the supports A A A, as shown.v

Fig. 3 shows the coffin or casket cover D. The ends, sides, and top areall joined together air-tight, while the bottom is open. On the outsideand at the bottom of the coffin or casket cover D a flange E, being anextension of the walls of the same, projects out at right angles withits walls as far as desired. Said coffin or casket cover sits over theplatform C and rests upon theprojections B B B.

Fig. 4 is the metal clamp F,a U-shaped device which fits under theprojection B and over the flange E to bind the support A and the coffinor casket cover D together.

In Fig. 5, D is the coffin or casket cover. C is the platform upon whichthe coffin or casket rests. A A are the supports. B B l) are the endprojections of said supports. E is the flange, and F is the metal clampas it is employed to secure the supports A A to the coffin or casketcover D.

To carry my invention into effect, the supports A (three or more innumber) are placed horizontally and on a level across the bottom of thegrave-one in the middle and one near each end. The bottoms of saidsupports rest on the ground and the same extend up in the cap or cover Dabove the point to which water will, rise. The platform 0 is placedacross the tops of these supports, and the coftin or casketis set uponsaid platform. The coflin or casket cover D is then placed over theplatform 0 and rests on the projections B B B. The metal clamps F areadjusted to the flange E and the projections B B B, binding the coffinor casket cover D and the supports A A A together. The resistive forceof the air in said cofin or casket cover prevents water from rising tothe platform 0, upon which the coffin or casket rests. The supports AAA, having small and limited surfaces where they come in contact with theplatform C, preclude the possibility of water rising by capillaryattraction from the supports A A A to the platform O. The projections 13B B are arranged so as to afford a level an d correct position of thecoffin or casket coverD with the platform C. First, the flange E,projecting out from the bottom of the coffin or casket cover D,increasing the exterior surface and the capacity of said coffin or cas-vket cover to receive the weight of the earth placed upon it, and,second,the metal clamps F, combining the weight of the supportsA A A and theweight resting upon said supports with the weight of the coffin orcasket cover D, both act mutually to prevent said coffin or casket coverfrom being raised or lifted by the pressure of water which may rise inthe grave.

hat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The coftin or casket cover D, made airtight, provided with flanges E,in combination with the platform 0 and the supports A A A, provided withprojections B B 13, as and for the purposes set forth and described.

2. The coffin or casket cover D, made airtight, provided with flanges E,the supports A A A, provided with projections 13 B B, the platform 0,the clamps F, all combined and operating in the manner and for thepurpose herein set forth and described.

3. The coffin or casket cover D, made airtight, in combination with thesupports A A A, provided with projections 13 B B, in the manner and forthe purpose shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN G. GRAY.

itnesses:

L. L. BROADDUS, FINLY H. GRAY.

